Goodguys Great Lakes Nationals - Winning In Waukesha

I am still not too sure why it's called the Midwest when it seems more like the North, but who am I to say? I wasn't sure if I was going to be fighting the heat and humidity or scraping ice off my Mustang rental car when I got to Wisconsin this past August for the Goodguys Great Lakes Nationals, but it would prove to be my lucky weekend. I landed in Milwaukee for the first time and drove around the city for an hour or so to take a quick look before heading west to Waukesha. I've heard the name Waukesha for years in reference to the Waukesha engines that have powered many industrial applications for 100 years now, and, in fact, I believe I had just missed the city's big anniversary party. Nonetheless, the weather was nicer than the tailings of the Texas-like summer we'd had back in California, and I couldn'tbe happier.

The show was held at the Waukesha County Expo Center, which seemed to stretch out for miles (why do I always wear my Converse shoes?). Friday's potential rain kept a few people away, plus many were still in route or at work still, but the grounds were filling up with some interesting cars and trucks, which got me started picking some Top Ten winners. Friday night's party in the parking lot of the Machine Shed restaurant included a hog roast and live music, which I enjoyed before hitting the hay to get a good night's sleep for Saturday.

We couldn't have asked for a better day for a car show! It was mostly sunny, around 72 degrees, and the Expo Center was packed. Being the only magazine covering the event, I had the place to myself which was great, but it meant I had to really hustle to shoot all the great trucks I found. The clouds moved in for a just long enough to shoot Steve Huntington's '53 F-100, and then they decided to dump on us just enough to make a mess and the air kinda sticky, but luckily that didn't last. One of the most interesting things about the show was the number and variety of the "off-brand" vehicles. There were more Studebakers, Nashes, and International than I'd ever seen in one place, plus there were lots of 1930s trucks of all makes, which are a rare sight. All in all, it was a great trip; I ate well, shot loads of cool trucks, made new friends, and saw a new-to-me beautiful part of the country. Go to www.good-guys.com for info on the '07 events.